Are prosecutors more respected than public defenders? Forum

[eric922]

Here and elsewhere I've seen some posts that mention that if want to go into biglaw, but don't have the grades after law school one of the best ways is to get on with the DA and get some trial experience and then apply for a biglaw job. However, the DA always seems to be the example I've seen and never public defenders. So I was just wondering do firms have more respect for DAs than they do public defenders?

[Anonymous User]

Is DA -> biglaw really a feasible route outside of a handful of high profile locales -- and "handful" is probably an exaggeration? I mean, I worked for several years in a litigation group at one of Kirkland/Sidley/Mayer Chicago and didn't know a single former Cook County SA.

AUSAs? Sure. Several of those. That seems like a good route. But if you don't have the credentials for biglaw, good luck getting an AUSA gig. State AGs? One or two of those as well, especially in regulatory-specific fields. So if you're OK making $60k for ten years while you build up a base of very specific knowledge in the off chance a firm needs an of counsel in that area, this is probably a good plan. (I'm actually being serious in this regard -- it really is a good career path if you are patient.) But DAs or state's attorneys? Didn't know anyone.

Folks, there are no shortcuts. The places that pay shocking amounts of money for twenty-somethings do so because there are signals that those twenty-somethings are reaaaaaallllly smart and hard-working. That means good grades from a great school (T14), great grades from a good school (maybe top 30 or so), or top-of-the-class grades from everywhere else. You can't cheat this basic fact of life by going and slumming it in the KC district attorney's office or whatever.

[Borhas]

I think you got some bad advice.

[dingbat]

Here and elsewhere I've seen some posts that mention that if want to go into biglaw, but don't have the grades after law school one of the best ways is to get on with the DA and get some trial experience and then apply for a biglaw job. However, the DA always seems to be the example I've seen and never public defenders. So I was just wondering do firms have more respect for DAs than they do public defenders?

If you want to get biglaw and miss the boat, your chances become very small. Your best bet is to go out there and make something of yourself. Maybe, just maybe, you can then get into biglaw, after you're successful.

[Borhas]

But if you are successful there is no reason to go to big law

[anon168]

Here and elsewhere I've seen some posts that mention that if want to go into biglaw, but don't have the grades after law school one of the best ways is to get on with the DA and get some trial experience and then apply for a biglaw job. However, the DA always seems to be the example I've seen and never public defenders. So I was just wondering do firms have more respect for DAs than they do public defenders?

Yes. In fact, just about everyone has more respect for prosecutors than they do for PDs.

[AreJay711]

But if you are successful there is no reason to go to big law

Yeah. The thing is, if you are able to be good enough to make yourself attractive to these big firms you are probably good enough to stand on your own or at a relatively small firm and make just as much money and handle the same quality of cases (even if they are smaller in scope). I don't know why someone would willingly entangle themselves with a biglaw firm if they could do the same work outside it.

[eric922]

Thanks for the answers everyone. I wasn't planning on doing this. I'm not in law school yet so my goal is to get the grades necessary for biglaw, granted it's probably much easier said than done. My main reason for posting this thread was the question regarding DA v. public defenders in terms of respect among the legal profession. Looking over my original post I can see how that might be unclear.

[Anonymous User]

I'm a prosecutor and I think it's a shame but its true. The public and judges tend to hold prosecutors in a higher regard than public defenders for a whole host of reasons. None of them particularly good ones, in my view.

[Tanicius]

I'm a prosecutor and I think it's a shame but its true. The public and judges tend to hold prosecutors in a higher regard than public defenders for a whole host of reasons. None of them particularly good ones, in my view.

Yeah, I think there's two camps of people - those who respect PD's for what they do and recognize that they have a really, really hard job that needs doing for the betterment of everyone, and those who just shit on them because they don't understand or care for our 6th Amendment right to counsel.

[Anonymous User]

Nevermind. TMI.

[Myself]

.

[kalvano]

The general public is typically unable to separate an attorney doing his or her job from the client they are representing. They equate a PD defending an alleged murderer with his or her condoning the action, or as some sort of "liberal nut" who doesn't think anyone should go to jail. DA's put bad guys away and PD's set them free. That's the perception, fair or not.

The public in general seems to have a lot of issues with legal ideas, such as representing a client you hate, or presenting alternate theories in a brief or motion, or that representing a client means you endorse their viewpoint.

[Lwoods]

Depending on the locality, prosecutors' offices may be more of a career than PD. For at least a period of time in my hometown, all of the public defenders worked part time. There were maybe one or two part-time prosecutors, too, but most were full time. I'm not sure if that's a small city phenomenon (bigger cities obv have FT PDs) or unique to my specific hometown, but I've always seen being a prosecutor as more of a career and public defender as either a side "do good" job or a job an experienced attorney takes when they want a better work/life balance.

[Curiosity13]

It really depends on where you are and what the career progression is that you're seeking. The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia for example is extremely well-respected and probably has a better reputation than most district attorneys offices around the country. The same goes for the San Francisco Public Defender Office, The Bronx Defenders, and The Miami Defenders. The offices I mentioned are all extremely well-respected, super competitive and hire "biglaw" caliber candidates. The reason that you don't see PD to Biglaw is that most PDs never wanted to do biglaw in the first place so they don't try to lateral. Most PDs, believe it or not, actually have dreams of sitting on the bench. Surprisingly, a lot of them realize their dream too. You wouldn't believe how many judges in Boston, MA were former public defenders.

[prezidentv8]

The general public is typically unable to separate an attorney doing his or her job from the client they are representing. They equate a PD defending an alleged murderer with his or her condoning the action, or as some sort of "liberal nut" who doesn't think anyone should go to jail. DA's put bad guys away and PD's set them free. That's the perception, fair or not.

The public in general seems to have a lot of issues with legal ideas, such as representing a client you hate, or presenting alternate theories in a brief or motion, or that representing a client means you endorse their viewpoint.

I heard a very derpy rant on our local crazy right ring talk radio station (listening because of the derp, not because I am crazy right winger) that basically went something like this:

IF OBAMA HAS HIS WAY AND TAKES AWAY THE SECOND AMENDMENT THEN BIG GUBMINT WILL ALSO EVENTUALLY TAKE AWAY THAT 4TH AMENDMENT THAT LIBRULS LOVE SO MUCH AND THOSE LIBRUL PUBLIK DEFENDERS - WHO BY THE WAY ARE CRIMINALS - WILL NO LONGER BE ABLE TO USE THE 4TH AMENDMENT TO KEEP CRIMINALS ON THE STREETS. THOSE SO CALLED CIVIL RIGHTS LAWYERS ARE CRIMINALS AND SHOULD BE LOCKED UP! THEY'RE MENACES TO SOCIETY!

[Anonymous User]

It really depends on where you are and what the career progression is that you're seeking. The Public Defender Service for the District of Columbia for example is extremely well-respected and probably has a better reputation than most district attorneys offices around the country.

This is true, but it also makes it very highly selective.

I'm from a T6 and starting at a V20 this fall and I couldn't get PDS. I had a good PI oriented resume I interned for Legal Aid in 1L, I had other pro bono work, and nothing. I couldn't get an unpaid internship with them for 2L summer so I took a BigLaw SA offer instead. I'm hoping to get some white-collar experience and pay down my loans and then try again.

PDS is hard to get even for people who really want it. It's not a backup plan for anyone.

[Curiosity13]

To the anonymous user directly above me:

You are right, PDS is highly selective and extremely competitive. It's really interesting because I had the exact opposite experience of you. I didn't have the grades for biglaw (never wanted to do biglaw anyway so it wasn't really saddening). I, however, not only got a 2L internship with them but just got an offer for post-graduate employment with them this week. I go to a top-30 school. PDS is shifting a bit in what they are looking for. If you like, I'd be more than happy to speak with you and talk about the application/interview process and what I believe they're looking for.

[dixiecupdrinking]

The only answer to this question, of course, is "more respected by whom?"